Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Staying Fit in Sin City

I love living in Las Vegas! The lights, the glamour. The overindulgence.

It's a fabulous city, but isn't exactly a place synonymous with healthy. Being a local for several years now, I have learned a few ways to make your visit to the Las Vegas Strip a bit healthier.


Walk. Everywhere.


Skip the taxis, Ubers, and Lyfts. Instead slip on a pair of comfy shoes and walk, walk, walk. No better way to see the Strip and really experience Las Vegas (a.k.a. people watch) than on your feet. If you're a step counter, you'll quickly see that number skyrocket.

Be forewarned that while some of the casinos seem relatively close together on the map, they are deceivingly far apart. I definitely recommend good walking shoes.


Run the Strip.


This is one of my favorite things to do in Las Vegas! I live about a mile from the Strip and run it at least every couple months. I love it because it also incorporates a lot of stairs with all the pedestrian bridges, so I feel like I get an even better workout.

If you do this, I recommend going early in the morning. 6AM is the sweet spot, but I wouldn't go much later than 8 or 9, or you'll be dealing with large crowds. It's about 4 miles from the Stratosphere to Mandalay Bay, so you could easily get in any distance up to 8 miles. If you're looking for an even longer run, take it all the way downtown. It's about 6.5 miles from the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign to the Fremont Street Experience.

Make your visit to Las Vegas a bit healthier with these tips from @EnjoytheCourse.


Do a Stairs Workout.


There are a LOT of pedestrian bridges along the Strip to help the flow of traffic. They make for a nice and convenient workout, too. Here's my favorite stairs workout at the Wynn / Fashion Show Mall. It goes up and down escalators and stairs and crosses a bridge over the Strip.


Again, I'd recommend doing this early in the morning. Not staying in this part of the Strip? I'm sure you could come up with a similar workout using any of the other many pedestrian bridges.


Go for a Hike.


You could do an Indoor Hike at the Aria (after you've clicked to their site, hit the + symbol at the bottom of the fitness section to see all their fitness services). I've never done this but it sounds fun. This is not just a simple walk through the resort. It's a guided tour of the Aria's art collection as well. Your guide also throws in push-ups, squats, and other fun exercises. You will definitely get in a good sweat, according to this review in the Review-Journal. A little spendy for this girl, this indoor hike/tour of the Aria costs about $50, but I believe it also gets you access to the spa.

There are numerous excellent hikes off the Strip as well. The most popular is probably Red Rock National Conservation Area, which is gorgeous and only $7 per vehicle entrance fee. Of course, you'd likely need to rent a car, taxi, Uber, or Lyft, since it's about half an hour from the Strip. There are so many more places to hike as well, but all would require transportation off the Strip.


Take a Fitness Class.


Most of the resorts have a Spa and/or Fitness Center that offers a variety of fitness classes. You could do Dolphin Yoga ($50) at the Mirage or learn to pole dance at Stripper 101 ($39.99-$149.99) at Planet Hollywood.


We all know that staying fit is more than just exercise. What's the saying? You can't outrun a bad diet.

Well, Vegas has you covered in this respect, too. Many restaurants on the Strip have healthier options. Just peek at the menu before deciding which restaurant to dine at. If you don't see something that meets your needs, move along to one that does.

YES! You CAN eat healthy while visiting Fabulous Las Vegas! Check out these healthy gems that @EnjoytheCourse found.

I don't actually eat out that often, but I did a search for healthy eating in Las Vegas and found these gems.

The Juice Standard, in the Cosmopolitan. If you're into the juice craze, this is THE place to go on the Strip. Maybe even if you're not. 😉 They have juices, nut milks, & smoothies. Cocktails. Salads/wraps, toasts, & other snacks.
Harvest by Roy Ellamar, at the Bellagio. Only open for dinner, this is Farm to Table goodness. Everything sounds so good. Some options, of course, are healthier than others.
Mon Ami Gabi, in Paris. This came up on a few different lists of healthy options. I think mostly due to the variety of seafood.
Bruxie, at The Park. Their menu is filled with lots of decadence, but their killer salads look divine!
Nordstrom's Marketplace Cafe, in the Fashion Show Mall. Lots of delicious options! Plus their menu shows calories for each item, so you know what you're getting into.
Vegenation, Downtown. I threw in one off-the-Strip option, but still tourist-friendly. 😊 This is one I really need to try! They are 100% plant-based and support local farms. Win-win.

Ok. Now, I'm officially HUNGRY!


While you're in Fabulous Las Vegas, be sure to also check out Vegas.com for great deals on hotels, shows, tours, and more!

Fun fact: In June it will be 5 years since I came to Las Vegas on vacation and never left! That's just crazy to me because it seems like just yesterday. Of course, most people do make it back home after a trip to Sin City. 😉

Have you ever been to Las Vegas?
What's your favorite tip for staying fit while traveling?

I'm linking up with Angela for Sunday Fitness & Food.

Twitter → @EnjoytheCourse
Instagram → enjoyingthecourse
Facebook → EnjoyingtheCourse
Google+ → Enjoying the Course
Pinterest → clarindad

26 comments:

  1. Great post! My company met in Vegas for a conference last month and we got a group together to run the strip at sunrise. It was my favorite part of the trip! But, O.M.G. THE STAIRS!!! It was a great workout!

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    1. A run on the Strip at sunrise is pretty fantastic, isn't it?! The stairs are a great addition. :-)

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  2. I found Vegas was a very easy to get lots of exercise, but eating healthy for a decent price, not so much!

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    1. Yeah, it's too bad that eating healthy can be so pricey. But even unhealthy options are kinda pricey on the Strip. ;-)

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  3. I wanted to run there but I was a little overwhelmed by all the pedestrian bridges and stairs! We did get a lot of walking in.

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    1. They can definitely be daunting! Some runs, I have to walk up them AND across the bridge, before I start my run again. :-D

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  4. I used to live in Vegas. This was well before my healthy days, though. I opted for the escalator. ;)

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  5. I've been there a few times, but had not yet discovered running. I'd like to go back for the R'nR some time ;-)

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    1. RnR is super fun! I did the full marathon back in 2014, and I go to the expo every year. There is so much great energy.

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  6. The RnR Vegas was one of my most favorite races ever! I always feel like I walk so much when I am in Vegas but then I always eat too much :)

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  7. my sister did the same thing... She visited Vegas and then decided to move there!! I hope I can see you when I am there for BlogFest in July. Wait. Are you going? Have you heard yet?

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    1. Really? I don't think I knew that. :) I've still got my fingers crossed about BlogFest.

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  8. How cool! I've been to Vegas once and I remember enjoying it (it was a LONG time ago LOL). I want to go back for the RnR Half Marathon, but we will see if it works out.

    Living in a tourist destination can be challenging, but I love how you've found ways to be fit and active.

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    1. You should come back! :-) There are tons more ways to stay fit as a local. ;-)

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  9. I would love to do that stairs workout! We don't have any areas around here with stairs except the high school bleachers.

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    1. It's so fun! But I do get some weird looks. You probably might in the bleachers, too. I've never done that.

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  10. I would love to run the strip again - it was so much fun!

    I also loved to walk everywhere when I was in Vegas. I feel like there is so much to see and do on the strip!

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  11. What a fun place to live! I can only imagine the sights you witness while running the strip. I'm sure the people watching makes the time feel like its flying by!

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  12. Living close to the strip and being able to run there would be so much fun.

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  13. These are great ideas! Im sure its easy to walk everywhere. And I bet running there is great as well! Those stairs look pretty intimidating!

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    1. Intimidating? Nah! Just fun. The pics probably make them look worse. LOL.

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